Wildlife photographs can fill you with wonder and awe, but they can also just be damn hilarious. It’s the latter of these feelings that the brand new Comedy Wildlife Awards celebrates, encouraging people to submit their most amusing animal photos to fit the brief of “seeing the funny side of the majestic creatures we love to photograph and protect.” This year’s inaugural competition saw entrants from Saudi Arabia to Finland, but was eventually won by the chubby-cheeked hamster, taken by Julian Rad from Austria.
Some of the other Highly Commended images, from laughing seals to dancing lemurs, are shown below.
A sifaka lemur from Madagascar showing off his dance moves. Alison Buttigieg, Finland.
A red deer stag having a little trouble with some foliage, but winning second place. William Richardson, U.K.
A most unimpressed-looking hippopotamus covered in ox peckers. Marc Mol, Switzerland.
A jolly seal who has clearly just heard a hilarious joke. Jule Hunt, U.K.
A tightly packed parliament of owls, peering out from their nest cavity. Graham McGeorge, U.S.A.
